Philosophy

Chess History

Avital Pilpel

My two hobbies are history and chess. (In my reserve duty, I am a researcher in the History Department of the IDF.) I combine the two by researching chess history.


I am now completing a book on chess in Mandatory Palestine and the early state of Israel. The book covers the period from the establishment of British rule in 1918, to the Tel Aviv chess Olympiad of 1964. It is, to my knowledge, the first comprehensive study of this exciting but unknown chapter in chess history. 


Since 2008, I have been running a blog, Jewish Chess History, showing some of my findings. You are welcome to take a look!